Wayland officials eye athletic facility improvements

WAYLAND - Recreation and school officials are eyeing a variety of field improvements as they look to improve deteriorating facilities and meet demand.

Officials hope to seek fall Special Town Meeting approval of $482,000 to design improvements to the high school athletic complex and Loker Conservation and Recreation Area. Funding would come from a variety of sources, including Community Preservation money and funds set aside for recreation. Some money from taxation, borrowing or another town source would also be necessary. Money for construction would be sought in the future, according to documents.

Here's an overview of what improvements could be coming based upon town documents and an interview with Recreation Commission Chairman Asa Foster.

HIGH SCHOOL COMPLEX: The track cannot be used for varsity competitions, the synthetic turf field is at the end of its useful life and two tennis courts can no longer be used. The project would help officials replace and repair aging facilities and improve drainage and lighting. The softball field and tennis courts would be swapped and outdoor basketball and volleyball courts would be built or improved. The swap makes the tennis courts more accessible to the public since they would be located by the entrance to the high school.

LOKER: Officials are looking at building a synthetic turf field with lights at the Loker area. Doing so will help the town meet demand for fields and provide a venue for teams to use while the high school facilities are under construction. Lighting will allow evening games, which will be more common if the school district modifies the hours of the school day. The field will allow for expanded recreation opportunities for people of varying ages.

TIMING: The Finance Committee prefers to see monetary articles at the spring Annual Town Meeting. But waiting until spring would delay design work and eventual construction. Facilities would likely fail due to overuse and deterioration, proponents say.

TURF VS. NATURAL GRASS: As it looks at improvements, the Recreation Commission is hosting an information session on synthetic turf sports fields and natural grass fields. The session will be held at 7 p.m. Sept. 12 in the Large Hearing Room of the Town Building. Foster said it will explore the benefits and drawbacks of field surfaces.

Brian Benson can be reached at 508-626-3964 or bbenson@wickedlocal.com. Follow him on Twitter @bbensonmwdn.